In these three scarves the silk chiffon is different colors and the fibers are mixed colors, some with silk fibers mixed in.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Drinking MY Coffee and Trying to Make MYSELF Motivate

Okay, so sometimes you come to the store and you wonder what on earth is up with me?!!!

Well Coffee Motivates me! This is my wall!..The first thing I see when I get up in the morning- I made the beveled glass years ago in my stained glass phase-I use to make beveled glass chimes and sell them-I try to dream up my life and I made the coffee hanging from some material I found and it is sooooo me!

I am just like everyone else... I have to force myself to move in the morning-COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE!!!

To DO list on Dry Erase Board-Outfit to wear to work on Hanger in front of face!

Already cut out pieces to sew on chair next to sewing machine chair!

Drink Coffee-Read Board-Sew Something-Cut Out something-Drink MORE coffee- Put on Clothes and go to work!

Yes, like everyone there is other stuff in between-but that is it in a nutshell.

At night I think of ways I could make money, but don't and where I want to go on vacation but probably won't and where I want to live but probably never will---on the positive side, I can play in my fabric and jewelry and get dressed up and go to work and pretend everything is going as planned...!!!???

My future house on the water

Then there was the one with the separate studio that I missed.....

Some day it will-my plan is to sew an outfit right now!

I have 20 poly poplin suits and each has 1-3 drape neck matte jersey blouses to go with them on the hanger.

This cardigan I even put a tag in...sometimes I get enthusiastic! I embroidered a big K on it...LOL

Poly Poplin - with one of the many shirts with Green in them!

I love the tubins' because they have slender legs and comfy tight tops...Leggins with tube legs...

Some have pants, but I never liked the pants.... Now I have Tubins'

I haven't counted and since some days I make 2 or 3 pair.. I guess I have a lot of pants now.

This one is matching chiffon to the matte jersey blouse... found in the 'Treasure Hunt Room' at G Street Fabrics

This is a Popcorn surface lightweight fabric as is the yellow one.

Always best to find your pants top and cardigan fabric at the same time... there are so many different shades of color, it is too hard to remember what shade the fabric you bought previously.

I have 5 or more unstructured cardigans and I am getting ready to make a white one in a popcorn surface...next I will hit the gauze and make gauze cardigans- I love the flowing thing.

So 3 yards of poly poplin at 5.98 and 25% off ... $14.27 for this suit including tax. Skirt and Jacket

Friday, July 7, 2017

No, I am way too old to wear leggins... If I wanted people to see my fat and cellulite I would go naked... I love the fabric

So.. quick pants... no side seams 1 piece pattern... use a leggin pattern and make the legs bigger... wear a tunic top to top of leg and have the comfort of leggins without the unsightly skin tight look.

A typical leggin pattern

Remember, I don't do leggins I do Tubins'

Just widen the legs straight down from the notch, using 4 way stretch is the most comfortable- Scuba type fabric.

Stitches I use- I don't have a serger. I am always in a hurry. I cut out many pants and shirts at a time, so I can just sew one up before work. It motivates me to go to work when I have a new outfit to wear everyday. Pants in twenty minutes that take less than a yard and quarter ---- 3.00 for a pair of pants why not. Less than a fancy cup of coffee and I can wear them more than once.

I wash the fabric when I get home from the fabric store.

Right now I have 5 pairs laying across the chair to sew on my day off.

One pair for my mom on the sewing chair cut out to sew immediately when I get up and give to her. Hers are the baggy pants pattern, and are made out of matte jersey. Soft and comfortable baggy pants, with an elastic waist, in a jiffy.

Bag of elastic right next to the sewing machine.... I buy 10 yards at a time so I can always make a pair of pants when I want to.

Made these baggy pants for my mom and this is how I do them quick.

1. sew the front pieces together at the front seam, sew the back pieces together at the back seam.

2. sew down the side seams on both sides and

3. sew the inner leg seam

4. hem the pants in the usual manner turn up twice and top stitch about 3/8 inch in.

5. waistband..... sew your elastic in a circle like you want it on you. Use the zipper stitch and make sure it is a flat circle all around to be comfortable.

6. Lay it on top of the wrong side of the pants top and fold over the amount you want. I fold over about 2 inches and under 1/4 inch and topstitch it over the elastic and you leave an opening where it starts and end in the front so if you need to adjust the elastic you just pull it out of the opening and sew it tighter. This also helps you tell the front from the back.

Moms baggy matte jersey pants are done.

This morning I made Orange Tubins and wore them to work.

These were made in less than 20 minutes.. and pressed hem and then worn to work...

I sew the legs first.

match notches and use your favorite finishing stitch...

This is mine

I don't have a serger, it looks like this on my machine screen

It finishes the edge of the seem but is a zigzag so it gives with the stretch of the fabric.

If your fabric is too light for this stitch I use a zipper type stitch for the lighter weight stretch fabrics finishing.

When I am doing a not stretchy fabric I use the small satin type zigzag next to it.... finish it by doing a straight stitch like on silks and then the zigzag right next to the edge... I do quarter inch seams so I don't have to cut fabrics off.

Got Stuffed Animals?...Jungle Tote

Got Gifts.... Gift Totes!

Got Groceries?-Grocery Tote

Add insulated Bag for inside Tote

Kayaking Plastic Covered Tote

Water Bottle Holder in your kayaking Tote

Packing Up Your Bags Tote

Dress luggage bag with jewelry pocket

Yardage and Instructions

Amount of fabric and lining the same-pocket depends on what you are using it for.

If you are using fabric from the flat folds, they are usually 54 inches wide in Home deck. 1/2 yard would make your bag around 18 x 27 if you just fold it. Sew it up the sides and then fold the bottom end in a triangle so you have a square end on each side of the bottom of the bag... Do the same thing to the lining as the outside of the bag... 3 yards of Strapping and pin it to the outside piece of the bag , starting at the bottom. Come up and over to form a handle on oneside come back down and cross under the bag for support go up the other side of the bag to form the other handle and back down to meet where you started. Top Stitch on both sides of the strapping through the right side of the bag. Insert the lining into the bag so the right side of the lining is showing when you look in the bag. Turn the top edge under 1/4 inch on both pieces of bag around the rim. Top stitch through both layers and across the strapping.

If doing a pocket for jewelry or water bottle, turn the edges under on the pre-sewn pocket piece and put it in the corner of the bag before doing the topstitching. Do it first then do the topstitching around the edge of the Tote. DONE

About Me

I started sewing when I was 10 and it is the fabric that holds my
self esteem together - pun - Long Distance Operator to Store Manager to Assistant Bank Manager - Budget Analyst to Real Estate Broker, Appraiser and Professional Education Teacher -Retired from the Rat Race of Pressure and
Stress-Kayaking since 2013-If I am not behind the sewing machine or
computer...I am enjoying Nature at its finest.